Improvement in spring draft-tugs



A. T. NICHOLS. Spring Draft-Tug.

No. 200,749. Patented Feb. 26,1878.

N- PETEfi. FHOTO-UTNDGRAPHER, WASHXNGTON. D Cv UNITED STATESPATENTOFFICE.

ALBERT T. NICHOLS, OF WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPRING D RAFT-TUGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,749, dated February26, 1878; application filed January 11, 1878.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, ALBERT T. NIoHoLs, of Wil1ia1nsport,in the county ofLycomin g, and in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Spring Draft-Tug; and do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, making a part of this specification.

My invention relates to spring draft-tugs; and it consists in agraduated spiral spring, arranged in such a manner that the lightercoils will be first compressed, and then, according to the weight, theheavier coils are gradually compressed, all as hereinafter more fullyset forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, Iwill now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, whichrepresents a longitudinal section of my invention.

A represents a case or cage of any suitable dimensions, provided at oneend with an eye, B, which may be either solid with such case or cage, orswiveled therein, as shown in the drawing.

In the other end of the case or cage A is attached a head, 0, byscrew-threads or otherwise, and through the same is passed a rod, D,having an eye or hook, D, formed on its outer end. This rod extends theentire length of the case, and has a spiral spring, F, surrounding thesame 5 and upon the inner end of the rod is placed a washer, H, held bya nut, I, to bear against the end of the spring, the other end of saidspring bearing against the inner side of the head 0.

The spiral spring F is graduated, made of l a square or fiat-sided steelbar, drawn tapering regularly from one end to the other before beingbent. This spring will thus spring easy for a light load, and graduallygrow stiffer as it settles by adding more weight, and at the same timecoiled fine enough, so that the coils will all come together before theycan gfeak, thus making it both cheap and dura- The length of the springis to be regulated by the distance it is required to spring.

The spring may be used in a round case fitted to the outside of thespring, or in any other suitable manner, whether open or perfectlyclosed, as the weather has no eflect on steel when painted.

This device may be used for a variety of pur poses where a spring-draftis applicable.

Though I prefer to use a square or fiat spring, I may in some cases makethe spring in the same manner of round steel rod.

The graduated spring may also be used for other purposes besidesdraft-tugs, and in some cases it may be graduated only for a portion ofits length.

I am aware that a graduated spiral spring is of itself not new; and I amalso aware that an ordinary spiral spring incased and adapted for commondraft purposes is not new; but I am not aware that the combination ofdevices herein shown and described has ever before been known.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a spring draft-tug, the combination of the cage A with eye B at oneend, the head 0 at the other end, the rod D with eye D passing throughthe head, the washer and nut H I, and the spiral spring F, graduated inthickness from one end to the other and surround ing the rod, allconstructed substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this11th day of January, 1878.

A. T. NICHOLS.

Witnesses:

FRANK GALT, JERRY MCCARTHY.

